How green bean casserole became a Thanksgiving favorite

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November 18, 2013

All families have that one dish that makes their Thanksgiving table complete. For many, it's green bean casserole, but have you ever thought about how it became an American staple?

According to the Campbell's Soup Co., Dorcas Reilly created the casserole in 1955. She was part of the home economics department at the company's headquarters in Camden, N.J.. She and her team in the test kitchen were determined to create a "quick and easy dish that could be made from ingredients that most Americans have in their pantry." Reilly figured most households have two staples on hand at all times: Campbell's cream of mushroom soup and green beans.

The original recipe requires only a handful of ingredients, but over the years this iconic recipe has been jazzed up depending on one's tastes.

In 2002 Reilly presented her original 8x11 recipe card to the National Inventors' Hall of Fame in Akron, Ohio. The yellowed card is now among the invention of the first nuclear reactor and Thomas Alva Edison's light bulb.

I did a quick poll on my personal Facebook page asking if green bean casserole was on my friends' Thanksgiving table. Many, many responses of "yes" came very quickly. Comments included "Always!" from Jeanette Bream of Carroll, and Brenda Pottebaum of Carroll said she tried to make green bean casserole take the place of the vegetable side. However, Brenda's family likes green bean casserole so much it's in addition to the veggie so there is casserole enough to go around.

The Classic Green Bean Casserole Recipes

This is the recipe that started it all. It comes from Campbell's Kitchen and contains only six ingredients.

1 can (10 3/4 oz) Campbell's Condensed Cream of Mushroom Soup

1/2 cup milk

1 teaspoon soy sauce

dash ground black pepper

4 cups cooked cut green beans

1 1/3 cups French's french fried onions

Mix the soup, milk, soy sauce, black pepper, green beans and 2/3 cups of onions in a 1½ quart casserole. Bake the casserole at 350 degrees for 25 minutes or until hot. Stir the casserole and sprinkle it with the remaining onions. Bake the casserole for 5 minutes more.

If you're looking for a fancy green bean casserole, Emeril Lagasse has it. His concoction contains his recipe for cream of wild mushroom soup, his special blend of spices, gooey Fontina cheese, and spicy fried onions. It all comes together to make a "kicked up" green bean casserole.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 2-quart baking dish with the butter and set aside.

In a large bowl, combine the green beans, Wild Mushroom Soup, 2 teaspoons of Essence, and 1 1/2 cups of the cheese, and stir well. Pour into the prepared dish, sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup of cheese on top, and bake until bubbly, 30 to 35 minutes.

In a large saucepan, add enough oil to come about 3 inches up the sides of the pan, and heat to 350 degrees.

Pat the onions dry. Drizzle hot sauce on the onions and toss. In a bowl, combine the flour and 2 tablespoons of the Essence. Add the onions and toss to coat evenly. Shake the onions to remove any excess flour and add in batches to the hot oil. Cook, stirring occasionally, until crisp and golden brown, 1 1/2 to 2 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Top casserole with fried onions and serve.

In a large pot, melt the butter over medium-high heat. Add the onions, celery, and cayenne and cook, stirring, until soft, about 4 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Add the mushrooms, thyme, salt, and pepper, and cook, stirring until the mushrooms give off their liquid and start to brown, about 7 minutes. Off the heat, add the brandy. Return to heat and bring to a boil and cook until glazed, about 2 minutes. Add the stock and return to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer uncovered, stirring occasionally, for 15 minutes.

Remove from the heat and puree with a hand-held immersion blender, or in batches in a food processor. Add the cream, return to a simmer, and cook for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and adjust seasoning, to taste.